Ally Brooke Reveals Why She Tried To ‘Give’ James Van Der Beek Her Spot In ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Finals
Dancing with the Stars finalist Ally Brooke says she wanted to give her spot in the finals to James Van Der Beek, but he wouldn’t accept her offer.
On Monday, the ABC celebrity ballroom competition featured the most heartbreaking elimination of the season when the judges had to decide between Brooke and James Van Der Beek. Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Len Goodman unanimously agreed to send Van Der Beek home moments after he revealed devastating news about his family. Brooke was seen visibly protesting after Van Der Beek’s elimination was revealed.
A tearful Brooke was heard asking Dancing with the Stars host Tom Bergeron if she could surrender her spot in the finals and give it to Van Der Beek, who had just revealed that his wife, Kimberly, had suffered a miscarriage on Saturday and was still in the hospital. Bergeron told the pop singer she could not give the Dawson’s Creek star her spot.
In a post-show interview with Entertainment Tonight, Brooke admitted she was still upset over the elimination and felt it was unfair that Van Der Beek was sent home, despite her perfect-scoring round with pro dancer Sasha Farber.
“I’m really sad and I just feel like it’s not right that he went home and that is how I feel,” Brooke said of Van Der Beek. “I don’t believe it’s fair that he was sent home, so I just wanted to give my spot to him. He’s been through so much and he’s overcome so many things. Especially this past week, I just felt it was right to give it to him. Obviously he didn’t accept it.”
Brooke added that Van Der Beek told her he was proud of her and that she will continue on in the show “for him.”
In the comments section to an Instagram photo of Brooke and Farber, Van Der Beek revealed that the singer need not apologize for moving on in the Dancing with the Stars competition.
“I love you guys and am SO proud to see you in the finals,” Van Der Beek wrote. “Ally, you’re one of the sweetest, most genuine people I know, and I meant what I said when you tried (for the second time, in private) to offer me your spot. Go SHINE! No apologies.”
Van Der Beek, who had just overcome a knee injury he suffered on the show, had been expecting his sixth child with his wife Kimberly, when she was rushed to the hospital over the weekend. In one of the most gut-wrenching moments ever seen on the celebrity dancing show, the actor scooped up his crying daughter and carried her onstage with him after his final dance, which was dedicated to Kimberly and their baby.
Brooke and Farber will be competing against Hannah Brown and Alan Bersten, Kel Mitchell and Witney Carson, and Lauren Alaina and Gleb Savchenko for the 28th Dancing with the Stars mirrorball trophy next week.
